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Subject:Re: Question about your deadlines From:Mike Bygrave <bygravem -at- INTUITIVE -dot- CO -dot- UK> Date:Tue, 21 May 1996 17:23:52 +-100
Beth wrote:
> Where I work, we always have to have the manuals finished three weeks
> before the code is frozen. My question: Is this S.O.P. in the =
software
> industry?
No! IMHO it's verging on the outrageous to ask for documentation to be =
complete three weeks before the code is. I'm sure that the majority of =
Technical Writers have worked on projects where code-writing has slipped =
and run up to their deadlines (this happens to me all the time). =
However, I would have thought that is virtually impossible to produce =
reliable and fully accurate documentation before the code is complete.
In my experience, Technical Writers seem to spend most of their time =
trying to persuade Project Managers that we need a margin between the =
completion of the code and the release of the product, in which we can =
accommodate all of those 'last minute' changes which developers spend =
most of their time producing. It sounds to me as if your managers =
consider documentation to be little more than an irritation. Perhaps =
they should have a look at the 'Cost of Documentation' thread on this =
list.
Mike Bygrave (bygravem -at- intuitive -dot- co -dot- uk)
Technical Author=20
Individuals have opinions - companies do not (and these are all mine)
"1966 was a great year for English football - Cantona was born"
=20
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